Bouffier joins Hyundai Test-Drive Team

MELBOURNE – July 17, 2013: Hyundai Motorsport has announced French rally ace Bryan Bouffier will join their 2013 test driver line-up. The news comes just one week after confirmation of the first recruit to the team, Finnish driver Juho Hänninen, who will spearhead Hyundai Motorsport’s i20 WRC development program this year.

Bryan Bouffier, a three-time Polish Rally Champion, was crowned French Rally Champion in 2010, and can also claim the iconic Rallye Monte-Carlo title and the 2011 Intercontinental Rally Championship. More recently Bouffier dominated the legendary Tour de Corse in the European Rally Championship. With extensive experience as a test driver and expert race analysis skills, Bouffer will bring focus and application essential to assist the growth of the team, and to further evaluate and develop the i20 WRC car.

While Juho Hänninen drove the i20 WRC for the first time in May, Bryan Bouffier had his first taste of the car today. Both drivers will be Hyundai Motorsport’s main test drivers for 2013, and will be joined by a number of other test drivers, about which details will follow shortly. The collaboration of these two drivers allows Hyundai Motorsport to realise the wealth of diverse rally experiences each brings to the team, ensuring the i20 WRC offers the most complete package possible.

Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Michel Nandan commented: “I’m happy to have Bryan on board. He adopts a very professional driving style and can give detailed technical feedback as well as being a very consistent driver, which are all very important attributes for a test driver. Together with Juho’s experience of WRC events and his speed on all terrains, I am sure we have a strong and well-rounded line-up for our testing program.”

Bryan Bouffier said: “I’m pleased to be joining Hyundai Motorsport’s test program and to be part of the team for this year. It’s true that there is a lot of work to do but the team is in place and the facilities are impressive, so we have good foundations to build upon. This is an exciting program and I’m sure the summer time will be very busy and hopefully just as productive.”

Ahead of a January 2-14 debut at Rallye Monte-Carlo, the Hyundai Motorsport team is carrying out an extensive test programme to evaluate and develop the i20 WRC across all terrains and